


Everything Fades to Blue

by DoobleBugs



Series: Hollow Knight MerFolk AU [1]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Gen, Grandma seer!!, Hornet is a bit mean, Infection/Pollution bad, Merfolk AU, Rescue Missions, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-15 18:29:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28942986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoobleBugs/pseuds/DoobleBugs
Summary: With the help of a mysterious old woman and a strange dream, Ghost must free three strange merfolk from captivity, trapped deep in the sea...Can they free these "Dreamers" and stop the pollution at its source?
Relationships: Hornet & The Knight (Hollow Knight), Markoth & Seer (Hollow Knight), Monomon the Teacher & Quirrel (Hollow Knight), The Knight & Quirrel (Hollow Knight), The Knight & Seer (Hollow Knight)
Series: Hollow Knight MerFolk AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2122839
Comments: 49
Kudos: 108





	1. The Shore and You

**Author's Note:**

> Title and Chapters are from "Sleepy fish!" They make some great lofi songs, haha

Ghost slowly washed ashore. They just wanted to visit Myla, but they had gotten hopelessly lost in the Crystal Caves. Unable to find the exit and being hunted by larger predators, Ghost swam until they couldn’t swim anymore. And now they lay in the gentle surf of an unfamiliar beach.

The beach was rough, having gravel instead of sand. The entire area was grey and misty, occasionally illuminated by a rotating light from a tower far in the distance. The bones of whales and the rotted wood from destroyed ships jutted from the waters and gravel, casting looming shadows. 

This beach was a graveyard - for marine and land life alike. 

But there was something else littered amongst the gravel. White statues, all varying in height. The majority of them were carved to resemble seals in various poses. There were others, though; shrimps and whales and sharks. One of them - smaller than the rest - resembled one of the many King’s Idols that Ghost had found.

But unlike all of the other ruins Ghost had found, these ones stood out.

Someone was still tending to them. They looked worn by time, yes, but they lacked all the other characteristics of statues left abandoned; there were no barnacles or other marine life attached to the statues, no major cracks, no major sign of damage.

Ghost could see three very large statues a bit higher on the beach, arranged in a semicircle. Despite their exhaustion, Ghost felt compelled to examine the three statues.

The little pup began to wriggle onto the gravel, feeling the small rocks scrape against their scales and belly. With great effort, Ghost wiggled and crawled up to the statues and the half-buried platform they were on, collapsing in the middle due to fatigue.

The three statues were marine animals, consisting of a shark, a jellyfish, and a squid. Underneath the three statues were engravings, most of the words lost to time. Ghost could make out a tiny bit, however. 

_ “In her Archive, surrounded by fog and mist...In his Spire, looking over the city...In her Den, amidst the deep darkness beyond the kingdom…” _

Ghost had no clue what this meant, nor who these people were. But crawling up to read the engravings sapped what little energy the small pup had left. They curled in on themselves, wrapping their tail around them.

Just a small rest, that’s all they needed. A small rest and they could go back into the surf.

* * *

Ghost was not aware that they could dream. They had never dreamt before, only experienced periods of conscious and unconscious and the inky blackness in between. But as they slipped into sleep, Ghost felt the real world slip away with them.

They were swimming in an unfamiliar reef, the coral was a deep golden color, the water a murky grey. Ghost, unsure what to do, picked a direction and started swimming. Somehow, without noticing, some fish had joined them.

To their right was a large jellyfish, glowing a soft green-blue, long tendrils flowing behind it. To their left was a large - but not quite as large - dark blue squid, its large eye slowly focusing on the small mer. And below them was a massive shark, covered in deep scars. Such large predators would normally be a cause of alarm, but Ghost felt nothing.

“Would it break the Seals?” Asked the shark.

“They cannot be undone.” Replied the squid.

“They  _ must _ be undone.” Implored the jellyfish.

The squid’s tentacles swayed in the waters as it moved, two of the larger ones coming dangerously close. "Fade away, little shadow. Fade away, and allow us sleep in peace."

"Go no further, little shadow." The shark agreed, brushing past bits of coral. All the coral began to spew orange gunk, only adding to the water’s murkiness. 

"How long has passed? How long have we slept?" The jellyfish asked, sounding confused. 

The squid seemed to be getting agitated, its massive eye fixated on little Ghost once more. "What compels you to claw your way out of the darkness? What compels your return to this sacred kingdom?”

"It would break the Seals.”

“They cannot be undone!”

“They _ must _ be undone!”

Ghost was growing uneasy now, with the three predators growing more irritable and argumentative. They especially didn’t like how the squid was looking at them, nor how the shark’s fin was getting closer and closer behind them.

Then, all three of the creatures scattered into the darkness of the reef, fleeing from an unknown threat. Said threat was a glowing white seal, swimming around Ghost in slow circles. Was this the seal Ghost was supposed to break?

“What a terrible fate they've visited upon you.” The seal said, clucking disapprovingly. “The power to wake this world from its slumber... you only need to reach out and take it.”

Ghost was confused by...well, all of it, really. This was their first dream, and it was already so strange and cryptic. But the seal continued to stare at them with large, dark eyes, waiting for something. 

Slowly, Ghost reached out to touch the seal’s fur. Without warning, the seal bit down on their arm and started dragging them to the surface. Ghost yelped, trying to pull themselves back into the safety of the darkness below. The surface was bright, so very bright, blinding almost. It was all they could see, encompassing their vision, burning them. They could hear screaming, and wires, and pain-!

Ghost awoke with a jolt, startled from their abrupt awakening and relieved for it to be over. However, it seems as though they awoke from one confusing scenario and awoke to another.

They were fairly positive that Ghost fell asleep next to the three statues, but now they were in some sort of seaside cave, the statues visible from the cave opening. Someone or some _ thing _ moved them…

“Ahhhh, you've returned. Welcome back to the waking world.” A soft voice came from nearby. Ghost could recognize the voice as the seal from their dreams! Did they still need to break her? They turned to face the new voice, but upon seeing the speaker, they froze in fear.

It was a  _ human _ , and from what they could tell, an elderly human, potentially a woman. Ghost didn’t know much about humans, watching them from afar on beaches and wooden structures. Everyone had told them humans were  _ dangerous _ , and to stay far, far away. And there was a human sitting right next to them!

She was small and aged, skin wrinkled and soft. Her hair was grey with hints of pink and purple, and she had pieces of glass resting on her face, causing her dark eyes to look larger than they were (Perhaps the glass aided in her vision?). She wore several layers, composed of furs and cloaks and dangling bits of jewelry. 

“Aahhh, don’t be frightened, pup.” She cooed, stroking their back in a comforting gesture. There was something strange about her, familiar, almost. The way she spoke, inflections, vocabulary, it was all familiar to them. She spoke like a  _ fellow mer _ , not like a human. 

She pulled them onto her lap as she pets their head. “It’s been some time since I’ve seen a pup like you…Hm, maybe not  _ exactly _ like you. I’m the Seer, and I’ve been tending this beach ever since  _ I _ was a pup.”

_ Wait, what? _

Seer chuckled, a soft smile on her wrinkled face. “Surprising, hm? I wasn’t always like this, pup. I was a mer, once. It’s...a long story. One for another time, perhaps, little one.” Ghost tried to listen, they really did, but they were so comfortable in her lap as she stroked their back. “I was with you in the Dreamrealm, place between body and soul. Those figures, those Dreamers... other merfolk, they reached out with what little power they still have and dragged you into that hidden place...Slivers of their true selves, trapped in the real world.”

“I want to free them, with your help, little pup.” Seer rummaged around in her cloak, searching her pockets. “Now, where did I- ah! Hereeee it is!” She pulled a key from her cloak, looking like polished gold. “This is a  _ Master Key, _ little one. It’ll open any lock you find. I’m sure you’ll find it helpful on your travels. I know it’s a big job, but I have a good feeling about you.”

Ghost reached out and took the key, turning it slowly in their hands. This little thing could open  _ any  _ lock? They looked back at Seer, frowning. They were still so confused about what to do...but there were merfolk trapped somewhere, and that wouldn’t stand. Tucking the key in their cloak, little Ghost sat up, intent to crawl back into the water.

“Aahh, you seem ready to go, let me help.” Seer chuckled, lifting them into her arms. “I understand better than anyone how difficult it is to move on land as a mer, little one.” She shuffled down the beach on unsteady legs as if she wasn’t quite used to them. “I have one last request, one from a very old woman…” she sighed, setting them back into the shallow water. “Come visit me from time to time, OK?”

Ghost nodded slowly. Seer seemed nice and knowledgeable about many things, she could prove to be a good ally in the future. She also gave very nice pets and scritches. “I’ll help as much as I can, little one, even if I seem helpless.” Seer said, a bit cryptically. “Go out into the world, pup. Many others depend on you!”

They gave Seer a small wave before returning to the surf, feeling an urge to explore deeper and darker to free the merfolk trapped in the sea...


	2. Broken Clocks (Monomon the Teacher)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS TOOK ME WEEKS AAAAAAAA  
> 4K WORDS  
> enjoy!

Ghost didn't traverse into Fog Canyon often. The coral and rock formations formed a complex maze, the little mer consistently got themself lost. In addition, the local jellyfish tasted _terrible,_ no one could stomach them (not even Tiso).

But something was _calling_ them here. A quiet whisper in the back of their mind, something deep and instinctual in their chest.

Ever since they found the strange statues half-buried in the sand on that beach…The Dreamers called to them...and Ghost wasn't sure how to answer. The Seer wanted to free them, but how?

Ghost clung onto the rocks just above the entrance to the canyon, the jellyfish softly glowing from below. What were they here to do, exactly?

"My friend?"

Turning around, Ghost finally noticed Quirrel next to them, using his spindly legs to grab onto the rocks nearby. He smiled at the little pup, saying, “There’s something familiar about this place, it stirs in my mind.” Quirrel stared down deep into the waters below, eyes glassy. He spoke, but not to Ghost, but to himself. “It beckons me...but who dwells in the depths below?”

Quirrel shook his head. “Ah, apologies, my friend. I was a bit lost in thought.” Ghost blinked at him. "Are you looking to traverse the Fog Canyon, my friend?"

The little one took a moment to think of an answer. Staring down into the depths below, they nodded. They were ready to see what secrets Fog Canyon held.

"I can help if you'd like!" Quirrel offered with a smile. "The Oomas and Uomas can be tricky to dodge at times." Picking up a rock, Quirrel dropped it over an elongated jellyfish. And to Ghost's horror, it _exploded_. 

That's a bit overkill, isn't it?

"My memories are fuzzy at the best of times, and I can't seem to recall why I know these things, but perhaps I can be of assistance."

Ghost scooted closer, tilting their head to indicate their curiosity. Quirrel lifted them up and set them down on his back. "Hold tight, my friend! It's the Quirrel Tram!"

With great caution, Quirrel began to scale down one of the rocky, coral walls. He took great care in avoiding the explosive jellyfish, occasionally checking to make sure Ghost was OK. Ghost clung tightly into Quirrel's back, small claws digging in between plates of scales. The 'Quirrel Tram' was a bit fun, all things considered! Maybe they could convince Quirrel to give them more Tram rides.

As they descended deeper, the two mers noticed something very out of place in the depths of the ocean. It was a _building_ of some sort, with unwelcoming concrete walls and large windows. It bore no resemblance to the ruins of Hallownest, looking more of a land structure made by humans hands than mer claws.

"Erm...I don't remember this being here." Quirrel finally said, skittering down the wall and into a little nook. "I remember _something_ being down here, but not this. What could this be?"

Ghost took a risk; departing from the Quirrel Tram and beginning to swim to a group of rocks closest to the building. They weaved and dodged between the jellyfish as the creatures mindlessly floated, dangerous and unassuming at the same time.

"M-my friend! Be careful!" Quirrel stammered, struggling to keep up. 

The two peered over the rocks, looking inside the buildings' many windows. They could make out machinery of some sort, hidden amongst a soft blue-green glow.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Oh Gods - look!" Quirrel pointed to the top of the structure. Large pipes were drawing in tons of water into the facility. The Uomas and Oomas, unable to swim away fast enough, were sucked in as well.

The jellyfish were expelled via a pipe system below, in addition to clouds and clouds of sickly orange sludge. The jellyfish that left the building had orange boils and swam funny, bumping into one another. They looked - and acted - sick. There was something eerie, watching them swim as if they were half-dead, limp and lifeless in their motions as if they were simply waiting to die.

Quirrel hissed, ducking his head as if the building was alive and hunting him. "That orange pollution...this isn't right! We have to stop it!"

Ghost frowned softly, looking down at their paws. What were they supposed to do? They were just a small-

Wait. That gave them an idea.

Without conveying their plan to Quirrel, Ghost swam off, heading for the top of the building. Quirrel shouted after them, but the little mer was too focused to stop and listen. 

At a reasonable distance - in order to avoid getting sucked inside the pipes - Ghost looked for some sort of opening small enough for them to enter. All the pipes had grates of sorts to keep other marine life out, only having grates small enough for water and the jellyfish to fit through. These were too small for Ghost to fit through, unfortunately.

Now what?

Ghost saw something shimmering in the low light. A smaller pipe with a grate, like the others, but unlike the others, this grate was attached with a lock. And Ghost happened to have a key!

They rummaged in their cloak for the key, clutching it tightly in their claws. Seer said that it could open any lock, and Ghost thought of no better way to test her claims.

The key struggled to enter the lock, which was no doubt rusted beyond repair. But the lock finally opened with a loud _clunk_ and the grate opened. 

“My friend, what in God’s name are you doing?!” Quirrel hissed, peeking out from the edge of the roof. “Oh, oh! You found an entrance!” He peered down the pipe. “Hm. It’s a bit too small for me.”

Ghost stared at him, unsure how to respond. Quirrel ‘hmmed’ some more in thought, skitting in pacing circles. Noticing the blank stare he was receiving, Quirrel chuckled dryly, “Oh, sorry. I’ll figure out a way inside, I’m a resourceful sort. You go through the pipe.”

Now armed with permission that Ghost didn’t know they needed, they cautiously approached the pipe. It was pitch black, the little pup being unable to see the bottom. But they’ve never been frightened of the dark before, so they began wiggling their way down.

The metal pipe was cramped and dark, the walls slightly sticky and sweet-smelling. A clear sign of the orange pollution. Thankfully, Ghost had a higher tolerance towards the toxic concoction and paid it no mind. They followed the twists and turns, unsure where it would lead.

But as Ghost was just able to see the light at the end, the pipe started to creak and groan, shifting under them. Before they could get any father, the pipe below them broke. Ghost fell from the ceiling, plummeting to their fate below. They couldn’t watch, they didn’t want to see themselves splatter on the floor! Little Ghost closed their eyes tight and put their paws over their face for good measure-

But the splat never came. Instead, they splashed into a box full of water and jellyfish, the walls see-through. They jellyfish didn’t explode, thankfully, maybe they were asleep. Did jellyfish sleep? Ghost wasn’t sure. Ghost also wasn’t sure about the see-through force field that kept the water contained. Were they trapped?

Ghost was sure of this: the busted pipe and spilling ocean water was gathering attention. 

Dozens of humans were gathered around the box, all of them wearing white coats and holding wooden boards. Thankfully, they seemed too focused on the busted pipe and spilling water to notice the dark little blur that was Ghost.

Ghost focused on the strange, see-through substance keeping them prisoner. It was tough, and Ghost couldn't break through it easily, if they could break through it at all. They backed up, then dashed forward, full speed!

They bonked right into the invisible wall and it hurt! And the wall didn't have a scratch on it. Breaking it might not be possible.

Taking care to dodge the jellyfish, Ghost cautiously swam through the tank, looking for a way out. They rubbed their nose, still stinging from their head-on collision with the invisible wall.

They did not like invisible walls.

In one of the corners, they found another pipe system, larger than the one they entered. This must be one of the ones gathering all the jellyfish!

Slowly, Ghost stuck their head in the large pipe. They were met with another mer's face peering back. "Is that you, my friend?"

Ah, looks like Quirrel found a way in.

"What a strange place, hm?" Quirrel said, starting to skitter inside. "It's almost familiar, but at the same time, completely alien to me."

He tapped the invisible wall, making a dull _tink._ "Ah, glass? Very strange."

So it was _glass_ that Ghost charged into. They'd have to ask more about it later.

"Right, my friend. Lets get out of this tank and see what there is to see! Perhaps we can turn off the pollution, hm?" Said Quirrel. Unfortunately, while Ghost was able to avoid attention, Quirrel definitely drew the eyes of the humans nearby. They began pointing and talking in loud tones, some mentioning a human named 'Thistlewind'.

"Uh oh. We better move fast!" Quirrel said. Ghost silently huffed. Quirrel was the one who was causing problems, what was this 'we' nonsense?

Quirrel grabbed the little mer, skittering to the other end of the tank. "Come along, let's see where this leads!"

Ghost tried to squirm and wiggle out of his grip as Quirrel traveled down the tubes and pipes. They wanted to warn him that these pipes may not be structurally sound...but before they could, the section of pipe below the two began to buckle.

With a deafening crack, the pipe below them snapped, sending the two of them plummeting down. Quirrel screamed and held Ghost tight, surprised by the sudden fall. The two landed in another tank of water, and they were too shocked from the fall to notice that this tank was eerily empty.

“I-I don’t know if my heart can take scares like that!” Quirrel mumbled, lying face-down on the floor. “Did you see how far we fell?”

Ghost felt something _wrong_ in the tank. A presence nearby that felt _angry_ and sick. Ghost was immediately on edge, something that Quirrel picked up on.

"Hmm? What's wrong, my friend?" His antennae twitched, trying to pick up on the unsettling aura that Ghost was. 

The tank shook. The water trembled. Above the two loomed a massive jellyfish with a bright, orange core. 

"Go! Go go go!" Quirrel shouted, skittering into the corner of the tank. But Ghost did not flee; they unsheathed their nail and darted for the overgrown pile of goop, but found themselves bouncing off the jellyfish's dome-like body.

The jellyfish approached them, slowly but steadily. Long tendrils reached out to grab them and Ghost finally darted away. But the tank was small, the pipes locked behind more grates. The grates could be unlocked, but the jellyfish would prove an obstacle.

Ghost swam in circles around the jellyfish, thinking about what to do. (Thank the gods the jellyfish was slow). Without warning, the jellyfish trembled and quivered, and the tank filled with charged LumaPlankton. Ghost had to dart and twist and turn to dodge them all, and they weren't successful. Silently screaming, they felt the charged LumaPlankton burn their scales and fins.

The jellyfish roared in pain, trembling and visibly deflating. Quirrel had darted from the corner, stabbing deep into the body with a shard of white. It looked like a mask shard, but why would Quirrel have one?

Regardless as to why he had a mask shard, using one as a weapon proved quite a boon in turning the tides of the fight. "Strike it now! While its defenses are weak!" Quirrel shouted, digging the shard deeper into the jellyfish's orange core.

Ghost didn't hesitate for a moment. They dashed forward, stabbing and slicing with reckless abandon. But the little mer only managed a couple of nail swipes before the massive jellyfish reflated itself, roaring in what could only be assumed to be anger.

Quirrel was thrown back against the glass walls, stunned for a moment. Ghost squeaked and darted away once again, starting to realize this would be a difficult, long fight. They couldn't damage it without Quirrel, who was currently stuck on his back. (It must be a downside to having a tough, outer shell).

Once Quirrel had righted himself, he grabbed the shard once more. "Get ready, my friend!" Ghost's tail coiled, ready to spring into action. In their mind's eye, they looked like Hornet ready to pounce. 

Quirrel darted forward, almost too fast to see. Once again he plunged the sharpened shard into the translucent flesh of the jellyfish. "Now! Strike it now!" 

Ghost put all of their strength into this nail strike, aiming right for the center…! 

With a final nailstrike, the jellyfish began to tremble, spewing orange sludge in all directions. Quirrel and Ghost backed away, with Quirrel attempting to shield the small pup. 

Once the jellyfish had stopped spewing toxic chemicals, Ghost wiggled out of Quirrel's grip. This jellyfish was _guarding something_ , and Ghost wasn't leaving until they found out what it was.

Swimming over to the locked grate, the small vessel pulled out the key and began fumbling with the lock.

"It's strange, my friend." Quirrel muttered, absentmindedly. "I don't recall where I got this strange shard. I remember it being important...and I suppose it helped us now, hmm?"

Ghost didn't reply, too focused on the lock. With a loud clank, the lock fell to the floor.

The tank was still for a moment. Then, outside, there was a loud, blaring noise. Louder than any whalesong, shriller than any seagull call. And it repeated ceaselessly. This strange noise, while irritating, caused the nearby humans to go into a blind panic. 

"I think we better get out of here soon, my friend!" Quirrel shouted, desperately clutching at his ears. "Let's go, let's go!"

Quirrel all but shoved Ghost ahead. "Take care not to fall through this time!"

Ghost was glad they couldn't respond to that.

This new tank was the largest one by far. The water was slightly murky with a greenish hue. The tank had a single occupant: a single mermaid. 

This Mermaid was massive in size, Ghost could fit in the palm of their hand. Their body rounded into the soft, rounded form of a jellyfish, cyan in color. Four tentacles hung limply from their form. A dark blue veil covered most of their mask-covered face. The mask was a pale white with four eyeholes, missing a chip near the bottom.

They looked to be sleeping, floating in place. Tubes and wires connected to various parts of their body. 

Quirrel pulled himself through the pipe, his front legs clawing at the exit for extra grip. "What's inside this one, my…. friend…?"

Quirrel stopped and stared, dumbfounded. He squeezed himself out of the tube and swam up, closer to the large mer. "I...I know her. This...she's so familiar, yet so forgotten."

Ghost swam closer to him, carefully reaching out to clutch his arm. He didn't seem to notice, too transfixed at the figure before him. “This...she’s the Teacher. S-She called me here!” He finally looked down at Ghost, proclaiming, “And she called you too! Didn’t she?”

He spoke, but acted as if the words were spilling from his mouth. A sort of stream of consciousness. “S-She was supposed to aid the king! She was to be a magical seal! B-But something went _wrong,_ so very wrong, and she was taken! Taken! Oh, oh, and she’s been trapped here dreaming for so long!…M-My madam...”

Swimming closer, he rested his forehead against the Teacher’s mask. “...she cast a protective spell over herself, casting a spell of deep sleep...she must awaken. B-But I can’t remember how.”

Ghost slowly swam around this large mer, simply basking in the size. Never before had they seen a creature this size with the exceptions of whales and giant squids. They could sense the pure magic radiating off of her, no wonder the humans had her contained, she was a living battery. 

They noticed the small crack in her mask and the missing chip, swimming closer to investigate. They tugged on one of Quirrel’s many legs, trying to point at the chip. He would know, right? “W-What is it? What are you trying to show me?” His clawed hands ran over the cracks and chip, and he ‘hmm’ed in reply. “I don’t remember _this_ being here…-ah?”

Wordlessly, Quirrel reached for the shard he had been holding in one of his back legs, starting to put it in the chip. "She trusted me...to help her...I've been gone for quite some time. But I'm here now."

The shard fit into the chip perfectly, a blinding light sealing the two together. Magic snaked up the cracks, sealing them together to appear as if they were never broken.

A tense silence.

The Teacher began to stir. Slow, small twitches and gentle shiftings of one waking from a deep, long sleep. Her tendrils curled and uncurled, stretching after a long period of rest.

She raised her head, and all four of her tired eyes focused on Quirrel and Ghost. Then, she smiled. "Quirrel...my dearest friend...you've returned to me!"

Quirrel nodded, resting his forehead against her mask once more. "I-I did! You called me!"

She held Quirrel, making him look absolutely minuscule in comparison. "My clever little arthropod, you!"

Ghost floated nearby, watching them. Quirrel noticed however, gesturing for the little one to come closer. "I couldn't have found you without Ghost, however. Ghost, my friend, this is Monomon the Teacher!"

Monomon's eyes widened upon seeing them. "It's you! But...you're not the pure vessel? You are...another?"

Ghost and Quirrel were confused. "Madam, what do you mean?" 

"I saw this little one in a dream, but confused them with another." Monomon explained, reaching for her temples. Instead, she found one of the many wires attached to her. "What...what are these?"

She looked around, seeing more wires and the state of her containment. "Quirrel? Quirrel, where am I? This isn't my archive!"

Quirrel shook her head. "I believe you were captured by humans, although my memory is foggy as of late…"

"Captured? Me?!" Monomon asked, anger rising in her voice. "By _humans_ of all things!" She tugged at the various wires attached to her, ripping them off. The lighting turned red and the blaring noises grew only louder. The screams of humans filled the air as they all ran to escape. "Using me as a _power source_ , are they?! Thought they could contain _me_ , did they?!"

Quirrel grabbed Little Ghost, holding them tight and huddling close to Monomon. "I haven't seen the Madam this angry since...ever! Stay close, my friend!"

"I am _NOT_ going to sit still and be a battery to land-dwelling apes!" Monomon shouted, using her tendrils to strike and crack the tank she was in. Several more snaked down the tubes and pipes connecting her tank to others, causing them to explode. The facility began rapidly filling with seawater and jellyfish, flooding every nook and cranny. "I refuse to be contained! Left at the bottom of the sea to _rot!"_

The walls of the facility began to buckle, the sound of groaning and creaking metal growing louder. Tanks began to crack and shatter, nearly flooding the entire facility. Monomon took a deep breath, surveying the destruction of her prison. “Right, Quirrel how did you get in?”

“Ah, well Madam, we entered through the pipe systems! But I don’t believe you would, erm, fit.” Quirrel answered sheepishly. 

Monomon chuckled to herself, “Well, I suppose I’ll have to make myself an exit. It shouldn’t be too hard, especially with my earlier handiwork. Stay close, you two, it’s time we depart.” Two tendrils gently circled around the two smaller mers to protect them, while the rest of Monomon’s tendrils snaked around the tank currently containing her. 

“Human architecture is shoddy at best, especially at these depths. There must be a weakness…” She clawed at a seam holding two pieces of metal together. “There! You can always count on human error.”

She tore at the seam, grunting with exertion, but slowly the two pieces of metal began to buckle and crunch under the immense pressure. The open ocean was slowly revealing itself to them, and Ghost couldn’t help but dart through the gap to the outside. The stale, sickly-sweet water of the human facility couldn’t compare to the pure ocean waters.

In the distance, they saw submarines quickly swimming away; no doubt the humans escaping their crumbling facility. 

Ghost was quickly joined by Quirrel. “My friend, I cannot thank you enough. If not for you, I would never have found Monomon again. You’ve filled an emptiness in me I was unable to place.”

Monomon squeezed herself through the hole in the metal, tearing away any remaining wires attached to her. With the majority of the facility destroyed and filled with water, the entire building, which was bolted to the wall, began to buckle and sink. Crumpling like a soggy biscuit, it crashed to the seafloor with a dull _thud._

“Good riddance to that.” Monomon said with a huff, turning to Ghost. “And I must extend my thanks to you as well. You rescued me, and without your help, I would be trapped there still.”

“Hey! I helped!” said Quirrel, trying not to pout. 

Laughing, Monomon picked him up with a tendril. “Don’t pout, Quirrel dear, you helped plenty. But you mentioned it yourself; this little one was a catalyst for my rescue.” Then, she sighed, rubbing her temples. “Gods, I don’t want to think about the mess my Archives must be in. But…” she smiled as dozens of Uoma and Ooma circled around her, as if in greetings. “For now, I’m just glad to be free.”

* * *

Seer kept her head low as she approached her Goddess. She may be in a mortal form, but she was still a Goddess nonetheless. And like with any God, Seer approached her with great caution. 

The Radiance stood in front of a fish tank several stories tall with reinforced glass and orange murky water. Despite the water’s perceived murkiness, it gave off an orange glow, illuminating the catwalk.

“My Light…?” Seer said, softly, bowing her head. The Radiance made no notion of hearing her, but Seer continued regardless. “We’ve experienced a disaster. The Fog Canyon Facility has been destroyed, and the large Mermaid powering it has escaped.”

“Will this affect Our plans and power output?” The Radiance asked. She still didn’t look at Seer, fixated on the inside of the tank. 

Seer made a point of refusing to look inside. Instead, she kept her head low, wringing her hands. “A-According to Thistlewind’s calculations, no. However, Markoth fears this will happen to the other facilities-”

“We are sending you to the Deepnest Facility. Markoth may accompany you if he wishes.” The Radiance finally turned to look at Seer. Seer turned her gaze to the floor to avoid direct eye contact. “If you see anything out of the ordinary, you are to report to Us immediately, do you understand?”

“Y-Yes, yes, my Light. My eyes are yours to use.”

Slowly, the Radiance turned back to the tank. “Tell Thistlewind to increase concentration in the tank from 45% to 60%.”

Seer made a choked noise, sounding almost like a _‘no’,_ but instead, her bow deepened. “O-Of course, my Light. I’ll tell them at once.”

“Dismissed.”

The Radiance turned back to the tank, glaring at the bottom. “If We find out that _you_ are somehow behind this, _Wyrmspawn,_ so help Us…We will increase the concentration in your waters so much that you will _choke.”_

  
Something deep in the bottom of the tank _shrieked._


	3. Small Things Pt 1 (Herrah the Beast)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to split this chapter into two :_D because they were so long  
> Also yes, midwife is a reference to Mesmers from Subnautica

Swimming around a twisting, rocky reef, Ghost was searching for something to fill their belly. Small and durable yes, but even they needed sustenance.

They had a preference for shellfish; their diet consisted mostly of small crabs, clams, mussels, etc. Ghost was too small and too slow to chase down their prey like Cloth, nor did they have the tools needed to hide and ambush their prey like Tiso.

Besides, they liked the taste of shellfish.

Ghost had dug out a clam from the sand and was working on cracking open the stubborn shell when they saw a flash of red in the background.

Abandoning their shellfish snack, Ghost darted after the flash of red. Hornet may be a bit cold to them at times, but they saw something innately _good_ in her. A strange sort of familiarity, different from others. After all, she did give them a name, if inadvertently. 

Of course, their last meeting ended in a spar, and Ghost would like to avoid that. They _still_ had bruises from the last encounter. Hornet may have a strange sense of familiarity, but she _hurt_.

Cautiously, Ghost peeped to get her attention. It was a small noise, high-pitched and barely audible at the worst of times, but it was the best they could do.

Another flash of red. Ghost darted off to find her, twisting and turning through the coral reefs and rocks. With one final twist, they were met with the pointed end of her needle.

“Again we meet, little Ghost.” said Hornet, her voice level and clear. There was an edge to it, but that might just be the needle in their face. “I must admit, you have...surprised me. If rumors are to be trusted, you destroyed a human research facility and released a powerful creature inside.” 

Her needle shifted, instead pointing at their chest. “However, I am not one to believe in falsehoods. Quirrel vouched for you, but I’m less inclined to listen to a mer whose mind has been muddled by the outer waters.”

Well, Quirrel would be the best witness, and she already doubted his claims. Ghost floated idly, unsure what to say. Slowly, Hornet removed her needle, holding the tip between two fingers with her offhand. She looked away, then started to think aloud. “But if the stories hold even a _fragment_ of truth...you could be of use to me.”

Hornet turned back to face them, eyes narrowed with an almost predatory look. Ghost hoped they weren't about to become her meal.

“There is another facility, even further down in the depths. Higher security, near impossible to breach. I want inside. And _you_ are going to help me, Little Ghost.”

Ghost managed to let out a small peep in reply. Hornet continued to stare at them for a moment, eyes narrowed and a low growl in her throat before darting off once again. Hornet never liked staying in one place for long, even for sleeping or eating.

Unsure what to do, Ghost reluctantly swam after her. She was never far, occasionally stopping for a moment to allow them to catch up. But just as they got close, she'd dart off again. This stop-and-start chase was similar to when they first met in Greenkelp, and that ended in a difficult sparring match.

Ghost hoped this chase wouldn’t lead to another fight. Instead, the two left the reef and began approaching a deep, dark trench. At this, the little pup hesitated. They haven’t gone into deeper waters quite yet, frightened of the larger predators that hid in the murky depths. 

Hornet paused over the drop-off. “You show hesitation? Strange. I thought you...incapable of feeling such things.” She paused at this, staring off into nothing. She shook her head. “No matter. The path ahead is a difficult one, and I'd feel no sadness in a weakling's demise, pup or no.”

And with that, Hornet darted off the drop-off and down below into the depths. Ghost hesitated for a moment, peeking over the cliff-face into the darkness below. They hadn’t gone that deep since…

No. Don’t think about it. That was in the past.

Clutching their nail tight, Ghost swam into the darkness of Deeptrench.

* * *

Deeptrench was _awful,_ Ghost had decided. They absolutely hated Deeptrench. It was very dark, the little light of their lantern barely cutting through. All the nooks and crannies were perfect hiding spots for giant eels and sharks to jump out and try to take a bite.

Much of their time spent in Deeptrench was fleeing from danger and hiding in smaller nooks. Ghost wanted to go back to the reef, back to Rivermouth. Where the waters were warmer and they had a small little cave with a soft, sandy floor to sleep on.

No! Hornet needed their help! (They thought, anyway). And they’d hate to let her down! They could prove they were not a weakling.

Ghost hadn’t seen the familiar flash of red, but they had a feeling she was at the very bottom of Deeptrench, where the light rarely shone. 

Despite the cold, seemingly inhabitable nature of Deeptrench, this clearly wasn’t the case. It was full of life; weird and strange and always hungry, maybe, but life nonetheless. But Ghost could see the bright orange in their eyes and the orange pollution clinging to plant-life. No matter how deep they went, the pollution seemed to follow them.

They heard a clicking nearby, inside a cave nearby. _“Swim closer!”_ Came a soft voice from inside. “Swim closer now! Come in, come in!” The voice beckoned, and Ghost eagerly swam closer to a friendly face down in the depths. 

In the very back of the cave was a large hole, pitch-black inside. Ghost watched as hands emerged, then a masked face, then the partial body of a long, thin mermaid. Her body resembled that of a worm, but much, much larger.

“Oh. Please. Please. Don't be shy. There are some nasties about here alright. Not me. I'm a friend to all and happy to serve a traveler so bold as you.” The mermaid purred, voice edging on desperation.

Ghost inched closer to this strange mermaid. She didn’t have the sickly sweet smell of the infection, nor were her eyes the signature orange hue. The mermaid reached over, squishing Ghost’s cheeks and cooing, “Aaah! A little one! You’re much too small to be away from the nest, what are you doing down here?”

Ghost tried to squirm away, not wanting to be squished in such a manner. The mermaid took the hint, letting go of them. "Ah, apologies. As the Midwife, it was my job to care for the small ones, yes.”

Midwife seemed almost wistful as she continued. "The last pup I cared for was the Gendered Child, see. Such a spritely thing, isn't she? Perhaps you've seen her, with her long horns…? Or perhaps that is just wishful thinking on my part."

That description sounded a _bit_ like Hornet, but Ghost wasn’t sure. While they were busy thinking, Midwife slowly crawled out of the cave a bit more, inching closer and closer to the small pup. “Pale gift to the Nest and the Beast, fair trade for sacrifice made. Long she's been distant. Ever since the others scattered...and her mother...oh, how sad. Truly tragic, really.”

She came closer, stroking Ghost’s head. Midwife giggled as she loomed over them. “I am sorry. Old memories cause my mind to wander on such silly diversions, especially when I'm _oh_ so famished…”

Her mask split in two, opening in the middle. Pairs of large, drooling mandibles peeked out, primed to spring open and snatch prey: namely, Ghost. With sudden speed, Midwife pounced with famished hissing.

Ghost swam as fast as they could, not wanting to be dinner for some crazed mer. Even as they left the cave, they could still hear the clicks and snapping of her jaws. They kept swimming, wanting as much distance between them and Midwife as possible.

They ducked in and out of caves, slowly descending deeper into the trench.

Finally, Ghost emerged from a small cave, entering a large crevasse. They saw ruins built into the walls, the architecture of the merfolk that once lived here partially eroded away. It was a different design than other ruins, one that used netting as decoration. 

But Ghost wasn't focused too much on the ruins. Instead, they focused on the daunting cube-like structure, floating in the middle of the crevasse, hung together with thick support wires and beams.

It was another research facility.

"So, you pursue me, despite the challenge ahead?" Hornet asked from nearby. Ghost nearly jumped out of their skin, giving her an unhappy peep.

Hornet blinked in surprise. "I...I did not mean to frighten you, Ghost. Forgive me." She said, sounding equally confused and apologetic under a layer of coldness.

She turned to stare at the facility. "This is our target. It's under heavier guard than the one in Fog Canyon, perhaps due to your actions. _If_ what Quirrel said is true." She added, shooting the little one a glare.

Ghost didn't notice. They were too focused on possible entryways for this new facility. It lacked the massive pipe ways that the Fog Canyon facility had. However, there _had_ to be some sort of system to accept and dispel water, right?

They completely ignored Hornet, swimming closer to the imposing structure, looking for an entryway. Hornet, offended at them ignoring her, swam after them. “Where do you think you’re going? There’s no entry point, little Ghost! That’s what I was trying to tell you, do you not have the ability to hear?”

The little pup looked over their shoulder at her just for a moment before returning to their search. “What do you plan to do, break down the walls? I’ve already tried that many times, little Ghost. It’s a fruitless endeavor.”

Ghost started to ignore her.

This facility didn’t have any large tubes or pipes at the top, maybe the side? There had to be some sort of ventilation if they were keeping another mer inside. 

Bingo! Off to the side, out of the way, was a rusted pipe with a metal grate.

Hornet circled nearby, watching Ghost swim over to it. "It's too small for us to fit through, even you, Little Ghost." She warned.

Ghost retrieved the key from their cloak, working to open the rusted lock. After a few moments, the lock opened, and Ghost tossed the lock over their shoulder and let it sink to the ocean floor. Slowly, they opened the grate, beaming at Hornet.

Hornet floated nearby, frozen. Then she barrelled past them, using her thin frame to dart down the pipe and out of sight.

Stunned for a moment, Ghost followed after her. At least Quirrel waited a moment before following them inside, it seems as though Hornet was taking the lead this time around.

Carefully, to make sure they didn't fall again, they swam through the tubes. Hornet was completely out of sight, and Ghost was worried they lost her completely. 

The pipe opened up to a large tank, and Ghost cautiously entered, worried of another jellyfish attack. Instead, they found an empty tank with murky, orange water. 

Hornet was on the other side of the tank, coughing up a storm. Clearly, this tank was diluted with pollution, and while Ghost wasn't affected, Hornet was.

"Little Ghost-" she wheezed. "Open the next one! Now!"

Fumbling with the key, Ghost struggled to open the second grate. Hornet's awful coughing was getting worse by the minute, only making their struggling worse.

Several humans had noticed their presence, gesturing to them and speaking loudly, but incoherently.

One human, with a stocky build and beaded necklace, scowled at the two of them. Ghost made an attempt not to look.

Once the gate was open, Hornet once again darted inside, leaving Ghost alone. Muffled by the glass, Ghost heard the large man shout something and he vanished shortly afterward.

Unwilling to stay behind, they followed Hornet once again, closer this time. Hornet didn't make acknowledgment of this, still swimming forward for her unknown goal.

They reached a fork in the road, and Hornet paused. Ghost wondered if she was lost as she swam beside her, but she didn't say anything of the matter.

Ghost cautiously nuzzled her side. This was the closest they had ever gotten to her without being bitten or scratched or attacked with her needle. She was warm, albeit not as soft as Quirrel was, her ribs cleat felt through her side. But she was warm and she was close, and these two factors alone made Ghost feel safer.

Hornet bristled at their touch, but made no move to stop them.

Finally, she picked one of the pipes to travel down and began to swim. 

Ghost followed her, but felt strong hands grab at their tail. Terrified, they squeaked and squeaked, grabbing at Hornet to get her attention. 

Hornet turned at their cries and stared for a moment, before turning back and swimming away, vanishing down the dark tubes.

Ghost went limp at the realization that Hornet had abandoned them. She had left them behind with barely a moment's notice, with no concern for their wellbeing.

They were ripped from the water, held upside down by the tail. Ghost wriggled and squirmed to escape, all in vain.

Looking up, Ghost saw that they were being held by the large man with the beaded necklace, who was giving them a glare so fierce, Ghost felt it in their bones.

"So it's _you_ who's been making a muck of things." The man snarled. "A _pup_ of all things."

Ghost opened their mouth to squeak, but the man interrupted. "No, do not speak. There is nothing you can say to change your fate."

Still holding them by the tail, the man dropped them into a net for easier transport. Ghost peeped and squeaked, still hoping for Hornet to save them, despite knowing she wouldn't come. 

"You're a scrawny one. And there's no pollution on you...how have you avoided it for so long?" The man asked himself. "No matter. You can be transported to the others when I return to-"

_"MARKOTH_. What are you doing?!" A shrill, familiar voice cried.

Markoth tensed up, looking anxious. He was flanked by a small human with wrinkly skin and white hair-

_Wait, Ghost knew that human._

The Seer continued to scold the large man, who slumped his shoulders in an attempt to shrink away. "This little one gets stuck in the pipes and you want to ship them to the _Temple?_ You want them to _die_ , Markoth?! They're too little! Did you lose your heart along with your tail?!"

"No, no I don't want them to _die_ , per se-" Markoth said, trying to defend himself. "-I'm merely following the rules set in place, and they were attempting to destroy this facility like the last!"

"Do you _honestly_ think this little thing released the Dreamer and destroyed the facility?" Seer asked, voice monotone with disappointment. "Our cameras caught an _isopod_ , not a tiny pup."

Markoth floundered for an answer, stammering out excuses. "Alright. Alright, fine. I'll release them back into the waters-"

Seer nodded approvingly. "That's my Mar-Mar."

_" After_ we are recalled to the Temple." He hissed, quickly walking away. "I'll put them in the temporary tank, and I'm keeping a close eye on them, mother, unless you have a _better idea?"_

She kept pace with him surprisingly well, giving Ghost a kind smile. "You could let them go early…?"

"And risk the Radiance's anger? No thank you." He shot back, climbing up steep steps leading up to a large, empty tank. It lacked any sort of tubes for filtration, and Ghost could tell the water was stale and lifeless.

Ghost was tossed in with little fanfare, net and all. They sank to the bottom, squirming to escape the net. Once free from the net, they realized a truly disheartening fact: there was no way to escape this glass tank.

Even if they managed to crawl out the top and crawl around the floor, Markoth was on watch nearby, arguing with Seer.

Ghost was trapped.

Maybe if Hornet tried to rescue them, they wouldn't be in this prison. But she didn't care. She abandoned them the first chance she got, didn't she? They were a fool to think she would bother risking her neck for them.

Ghost curled into the corner of the tank, using their tail to hide their face as they started to shakily sob.


End file.
